The Steward School accepts qualified students without regard to race,
religion, nationality, or ethnic origin.

Page 1

From the Headmaster
As we achieve success in our athletic program, we must reflect on the
importance of sportsmanship.
The National Association of Independent Schools
(NAIS), of which The Steward School is a member,
provides 路Principles of Good Practice" in many areas of
school life including , among others, admissions,
teaching, trustee responsibility, and athletics. The
Principles are presented as guidelines for proper policies
and procedures in the administration and governance of a
school. In the principles recommended for athletics,
reference is made to parents and expectations
surrounding the athletic program. The role of the parents
is crucial in the success of any athletic program , and I
believe Steward is fortunate to have a community of
parents that represents and reflects what is best about
our School.
When one considers the many games over the
period of an academic year at which the parents and
guests are in attendance-soccer, field hockey, lacrosse,
and others-there is ample opportunity to observe the
impact of fan/parent behavior on the tenor of the game.
From that perspective, Steward 's parents earn high
marks. Our spectators support our athletes and ,
periodically, they let officials know they disagree when a
call that is made is wrong!
During the basketball season , spectator and player
behavior has become even easier to observe because of
the confined nature of the basketball court. Officials and
players are in closer proximity to the spectators than in any
other sport. The intensity of the effort and determination of
the players is quite apparent, and the role of those in the
grandstands on the complexion of the game becomes
obvious. Steward has many basketball teams, ranging
from Middle School level to junior varsity to varSity, for both
boys and girls. When one considers the number of teams
playing, the number of players involved, the number of

MIAe Edwards 'OJ and
Coach Burch Kef/sr, dUrI'1g
if

TfJe girls varSily bas~etball team enJOV5 a

breaA at halftime
Ph!")t b~ Johf' ~{e~

parents present, and all occurring seven days per week ,
numerous circumstances can lend themselves to
inappropriate actions on the part of many. It doesn't
happen. Game officials and spectators from other schools
have commented on the pleasure of the experience when
they come to our Athletic Center for games. Along with
many of our parents, I am fully aware that there are
schools whose spectators are embarrassingly hostile to
good sportsmanship and fair play, and too often the play of
their team reflects that attitude.
At Steward , we are having substantial success in
athletics across the boa rd , and the present basketball
season-at all levels. for both girls and boys- is a prime
example of that success. With that success , expectations
of players also increase: to play with intensity, to win
games, and to do so with the commitment to high
standards of sportsmanship. With all of that, one can be
very impressed with and proud of our athletes whose
comportment is admirable at all times . There is a direct
connection between attitude and success , and our teams
are prime examples of that formula .
Finally, I encourage all parents to make the time to
see your sons and daughters compete . The school years
pass so quickly. The concept of the team and team play is
of great importance to our student-athletes, so I
encourage all of you to share in this special time for these
young people. Once that door is closed , it can never be
opened again .

'IIars;ty bOys basketball

game
Pharo by John AI/ey

Page 2

Blue & Gold Winter 2002-03

~

Spartan Spirit Day

It may have been cold and windy, but it was still a great day for students,
families, faculty, and friends of Steward!
Saturday, November 23, was very cold and windy, but
that didn't keep Steward 's students, alumni , families,
friends, and staff from the 2002 Spartan Spirit Day. The
festivities were originally scheduled to coincide with
Homecoming on October 26, but both events were
postponed as a safety precaution due to the D.C.-area
sniper attacks of late October.
On the patio outside the Athletic Center, the crowd
warmed themselves with hot chocolate and Starbucks
coffee provided by the eighth grade as they listened to
music performed by former Steward student Tom
Somerville and his band , Stolen Roses. Kids enjoyed the
game booths manned by Lower School parents, including
the ball toss and the duck float. Art teachers Rugene
Paulette and Cindy Grissom took turns painting
butterflies, rainbows, and Spartans on faces at the booth
sponsored by the senior class , and the seventh grade's
cake walk was a big hit as always. The moonwalk was
also a favorite of children big and small.
Inside the Athletic Center, the Steward Bazaar
offered visitors a chance to shop at more than 30 vendors ,
with products such as Discovery Toys and Southern Living
at Home as well as a variety of handmade crafts including
hand-knit caps and mittens, jewelry. and breads and
relishes. Each vendor donated wonderful items to be
used in the tenth grade class' raffle, which was a huge
success. For those who were hungry, delicious lunches
were available from Karen 's Homemades and Boardwalk
Hot Dogs, and the ninth grade class sold cakes, cookies,
and other sweets.

Over 30 vendors pamc,pared In the
Steward Bazaar m the muJclplJrpose gym
Photo by Paul Busse

;"/dS and parents enjOy games and fun on
the patiO ourslde (he Athletic Center
PhOto by Paul Busse

After the parade , Headmaster Roger Coulombe
introduced the Homecoming Court. Later that afternoon,
students, families, and friends were treated to JV and
varsity basketball games In the gym.
Spartan Spirit Day went off without a hitch, thanks to
help from all the parent, faculty, and student volunteers
who spent many hours working on organizing the event.
Many thanks go to faculty advisor Dewey Brown for his
work with the Student Council and the Parents'
Association . Thanks also to Tonya Owen and Sharon
Forbes , for their tireless work in arrang ing wonderful , highquality vendors for the Steward Bazaar-and then
rescheduling everything; to Cricket O'Connor for her
tremendous job coordinating the Lower School carnival ;
and to Jennifer Gnapp and Michelle Belt for spending the
entire day manning the ticket table . We're already looking
forward to next year's Spartan Spirit Day!

As members of the
Homecommg Coun. semors
DaVl Lorenzo and Mary
Congdon fide In the parade
Photo by Paul Busse

Forty-four kindergartners and four teachers met one
morning in the Dining Commons to make bread. This was
the culminating activity after the students learned how
yeast makes bubbles when given warm water and sugar.
Each child brought in one ingredient, while the teachers
brought the bakeware and measuring utensils.
The children , who were divided into four random
groups, were given labels bearing their assigned tasks .
They blended flour with dry ingredients, mixed yeast with
warm water and honey, and took turns stirring. Then on to
the fun job- kneading a ball of dough to the perfect
consistency! Luckily, most of the flour did end up on the

watch the dough rise-and then shape their dough and
watch it rise again. One group made snake-shaped
bread , while the other groups chose to shape theirs into a
bear, a heart, and a rabbit. After fifteen minutes in the oven ,
the bread was finally done. Yum!

Wild About Animals and Books!
By Marcia Edwards, Coordinator, Steward Enrichment Program

The Lower School enjoyed a visit from local author
Glnjer Clarke during National Book Week. She shared
three books she has written for elementary-aged children.
They are Wild Dad!, Sharks!, and Baby Alligator.
Ms. Clarke talked about how she started writing and what
inspires her. She shared with the students all the steps
involved in getting a book published. Our students gave
her lots of ideas for other books she should write .

When The Steward School's fifth grade arrived at the
Science Museum of Virginia for a -camp-in" on January 11 ,
we all thought that it would be boring-but we were all
wrongl The first thing we did was to attend an introduction
to the museum. We found out what we would be doing
that night. There were at least 300 kids from all different
schools there .
After the introduction, the first thing we did was go to
a robot class where they ta lked about how to make a

Page 4

Btue & Gotd Winter 2002-03

Lower School Corner continued
robot. We were then put into small groups with the test of
making a robot that would make it through an obstacle
course . The robot needed to be able to knock a ball off a
coffee can , go up and down a ramp , move the ball through
part of the course, and dodge all the road signs. The only
hard thing was, you had to make your robot using only
Legos, a nuler, string , and a remote-control car! My team
didn't win , but it was really neat!
Next we went to a classroom to learn about the
human body. We talked about some of the weird things
about the body. Finally we got to the fun part- we made
"snot: which was a lot like Gak. Making "snot" was my
favorite! After that, we went to a survival class , where we
learned about how to take care of ourselves in the wild .
We identified animal tracks , made shelters, tried to build a
fire , and packed a backpack with only the basic things we
needed for survival.
After a quick snack, we went to see a play. It only had
two people in it. It was about a bear that comes into a
man 's yard and he does not like it. I liked it because we
got to choose whether the bear should die or survive. Well ,
the bear survived . It was a great play! Unfortunately, then
we had to go to bed . We slept in the main entrance of the
museum, and it was really strange but we finally fell
asleep. In the morning we got up and had breakfast and
then saw two Imax films. The first one was about rocks
and the second was called Jane Goodall's Wild
Chimpanzees. Both movies were really good . We got
home around 10:30 that morning. I hope everyone in the
fifth grade had as much fun as I did!

The Lower School Teachers' Retreat
By Kerry Blum, Fifth Grade Teacher
The Lower School staff recently had a wonderful
getaway retreat over the weekend of November 24-25 We
were offered the use of a private home on Afton Mountain,
and we certainly enjoyed having time away to relax and
diSCUSS Issues related to school , curnculum , and future
plans. In addition to the diSCUSSions, the sixteen teachers
hiked, ate wonderful food , and got to know each other In a
different enVIronment. It's no wonder the Lower School
teachers call each other colleagues and friends While we
were disappointed to be away during Spartan Spirit Day at
Steward, we wouldnt have missed this great opportUnity to
spend time With each other l

These were just some of the community service
projects in the Middle School that helped to spread a little
holiday cheer!

During December, there were many community
service projects popping up in Middle School advisories at
Steward . Advisories came up with many great ideas and
then worked hard to fulfill them .
One example was Cindy Grissom 's advisory. They
did a two-part service project for the Angel Tree and a

Steward Students Partidpate in
Prejudice Awareness Summit

needy family. The Angel Tree is a project that helps get
Christmas presents for children and adults who are not
as fortunate as many of us. Half of Mrs. Grissom 's
advisees brought in $20 each to take to Target and buy
gifts for a four-year-old girl. The other half of the advisees
went to the Dollar Tree and purchased necessities for a
needy family. They also bought a little gift for each family
member. Mrs. Grissom was impressed with the way her
advisees pulled together to help out.
The advisories of Chris Conquest, Craig Smith , and
Catesby Jones also helped out during the holiday
season. All three advisories sponsored a fund raiser to
benefit CARITAS. It was a contest to see which homeroom
could raise the most money for CARITAS. The winning
homeroom got two free dress-down days. The contest
lasted five weeks and raised over $150.
This holiday season , another advisory helped make
life a little brighter for one little girl. Stefanle Trickier's
advisory got the name of a young girl from St. James
Episcopal Church. The advisees pooled their money and
purchased her a radio/CD/tape player. Everyone in Ms.
Trickier's advisory was very happy with the results, and
Srefsme Tnck.ler 's seventh grade adVISOry group partlclpares In a
community service oro/eel Back row JadJe Moncure. Aiel{ Matlock
Anna Greenlee ArtiS Pearsa I Margaret GuPton. Anne-Sims Honey.
Scefanls Tnckler Front row Kelsey Mohrmg. Aarhy Northrop
Photo by Maf1( Harvard Nolde

By Aileen Giordano 'DB

In November, Chip Chapman and a small group of
seventh and eighth graders attend the Jewish Women
International's Prejudice Awareness Summit at
Congregation Beth Ahabah in Richmond . The group
included Laura Skove 'DB, Patrick McKeown 'DB. Micah
Keller 'DB. Aileen Giordano 'DB, Amanda Lipscomb '07,
Nastla Komova '07, Tucker Bloom '07 , and Naureen
Jiwani '07. The day began with an icebreaking activity,
followed by an emotive presentation by Dr. Terence
Roberts . He is one of the Little Rock Nine, a group of
African-American men and women who were integrated
by choice into a white school in Alabama in 1955. Dr.
Roberts was tormented by students, teachers, and
protesters alike, all of whom wished to keep the
prestigious school segregated. It took an army of 1,000
National Guardsmen to get the group into the school ,
where they were then physically abused. After
experiencing these horrific deeds, Dr. Roberts wanted to
make sure that young people understood the evil of
prejudice. With this in mind, he conducted his
presentalion , which later served as a topic of discussion
for the students.
Representatives from private and public schools
from all over Virginia came together to learn. This provided
great diversity in races and socio-economic backgrounds,
but all were friendly and eager to participate in the next
activity, 路When I Felt Different. " After that, the non-violent
conflict resolution plan S.O.C.S. was taught. S.O.C.S.
stands for Situation Options Consequences Solution.
Lastly, participants engaged in an open conversation
about prejudice and its origin , ignorance. One of the
foremost reasons for holding the summit was to spread
awareness, and each school has decided to do
something to raise consciousness . The Steward School
students have many plans in place to help people respect
and honor difference, both in the school and in the
community. The students who were lucky enough to
attend the meeting gained a greater sense of respect ,
especially after hearing Dr. Roberts speak.

On January 16, the seventh grade went to
Washington , D.C., on a field trip . On our way to the
Smithsonian , we stopped across from the White House.
There we saw protesters setting up for their protest
against the war with Iraq . Next we went to the Smithsonian
Museum of Art where we saw the George Catlin exhibit.
George Catlin is well known for his Native American
paintings. The unique collection of works . which ranged
from Indian lacrosse paintings to original buffalo warrior
battlements, took up two floors. The favorite artifact of our
group was a recreation of a tepee from the Sioux tribe .
Our last stop was the Pentagon. The tour there was
extremely informative and interesting. Some of the people
in our group were Invited to Sergeant Major Jack Tilley's
office. He is a high-ranking Army officer. The Pentagon has
seventeen restaurants , a post office, a bank, and a

vending machine for renting movies. There is a hall for
every branch of the armed forces. In the Air Force hall,
there are models of every plane that has been built up
through the year 2001.
A new part of the Pentagon was being built to honor
those who died there on September 11 . The Pentagon
had a biography on each individual who perished that day.
On the walls they had the names of all the victims. There
were also pieces of paper and charcoal , which were there
for visitors to trace the victims' names and put them up on
the wall.
The Pentagon hosts a room for the recipients of the
Congressional Medal of Honor, from the Revolutionary
War through the Kosovo conflict. There has only been one
woman who has won the Medal of Honor. She was a
nurse in the Civil War.
On the tour we walked a mile and a half, but it was
worth the long walk . It was an educational and exciting
trip.

Students Celebrate the Work of
Martin Luther King, Jr.
By Clay Fulk '07 and Elizabeth Ward '07

What does Martin Luther King, Jr. Day mean to you?
For some people , it's a day to congregate at the Arthur
Ashe Center to celebrate freedom . For others , it's a day to
spend time with family and friends . There are many
different ways to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and
at The Steward School , we commemorated the holiday
with a special guest speaker, Tony Cosby , and his pianist.
Kevin Puller. Mr. Cosby, who is the founder and director of
Theatre & Company as well as a drama coach for
Richmond Public Schools, reenacted several of Martin
Luther King , Jr.'s speeches .
A graduate of Bowie State University, Mr. Cosby
majored in theatre and became an actor shortly after his
graduation. A few years ago, he was asked by a church
pastor to read some of Martin Luther King , Jr.'s speeches
as part of a special church service on the national holiday.

Afterward , many people approached him, telling him how
much they enjoyed his performance and how deeply it
moved them. He then decided that he would perform
these speeches at many functions throughout the region .
Here at Steward , he recited three of Dr. King's famous
speeches: "I Have a Dream ," "I've Been to the
Mountaintop," and the untitled speech that was spoken at
his funeral. As Mr. Cosby spoke , musician Kevin Puller

as 50 death threats per day. "I don't know what will
happen now ... 1just want to do God's will. And He's
allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over.
And I've seen the Promised Land . I may not get there with

played the piano In the background . Between the

you . But I want you to know tonight, that we , as a people ,

speeches, Mr. Puller also sang the famous spirituals

will get to the Promised Land . And I'm happy, tonight. I'm

"Everything Will Be All Right" and "We Shall Overcome ."

not worried about anything . I'm not fearing any man. Mine

Their performances were simple, yet beautiful , and very

eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord ." The

moving.
"I Have a Dream" is Dr. King's most famous speech .
He gave the speech in 1963 during the famous March on
Washington , a massive demonstration for equal rights for
blacks. In it, Dr. King expressed the dream that one day
his children might "not be judged by the color of their skin
but by the content of their character." Although many

prophetic and haunting words still ring across to us
almost 40 years later.
In the untitled speech of his that was read at hiS
funeral , Dr. King expressed hope that he would be
remembered not for his fame , his Nobel Peace Prize, or
any of the other awards he had received , but for being a

members of the audience had heard the speech before ,

drum major for peace , justice. and righteousness.
Tony Cosby touched many members of his

Mr. Cosby's gestures and expressions brought the

fascinated audience with his expressions and emotion .

speech alive for them once again .
"I've Been to the Mountaintop" is a moving speech
that inspired people to carry on the fight for civil rights after

He concluded his presentation with a challenge to the
student body to pick up Dr. King's torch and fight for justice
and peace .

Dr. King's death. He gave the speech the night before he
was killed , He had gone to Memphis to lead a sanitation
workers' march. His speech was written as if he knew he
might die soon because he had been receiving as many
Page 8

Blue & Gold Winter 2002-03

Upper SchooL News
Steward Student Travels to Honduras
on Mjssjon Trip

Sophomore Class Visjts
Agecrojt Hall

By Shelby Hal/and, Foreign Language Department Chair

By Ben Giglio '05

During the first two weeks of January, senior Lee
Patton was in San Pedro, Honduras, on a mission trip ,
The trip was sponsored by St. James Episcopal Church in
Richmond , and its purpose was to aid in constructing a
school and to do work at the local orphanage , Lee's
father James and older brother J.D. also went on the trip .
Each day began at 8:00 a.m. with six straight hours
of construction on the school , followed by a break for
lunch . Afterward , the group headed to the orphanage for
the rest of the afternoon, where the trip's members
entertained the more than sixty children with games and
fun projects.
Lee is no stranger to Central America . This is his
second mission trip to Honduras, and one of several to
Central America . It helps that he is nuent in Spanish. He
was one of only two people on the trip who spoke
Spanish , and since very few of Ihe Hondurans spoke
English , Lee was a valuable asset.

In mid-January, the sophomore class visited
Agecroft Hall, a mansion bUilt in Tudor England. The
house was built in the late-fifteenth century near
Manchester. In 1926, Thomas C. Williams, Jr. bought the
house and relocated it to Richmond . Mr. Williams and his
family lived in Agecroft until 1967. In 1969, the house was
converted into a museum and opened to the public.

Senior Lee Patton enjOys the
beaut., of HondurdS during hiS
miSSion rr'p m January

Upon arriving at the mansion , we heard a lecture
entitled "The Life and Reign of Elizabeth I: Following the
lecture, the tenth graders toured the estate and learned
about the many uses of the artifacts displayed in the
museum .

Environmental Club Update
By Mary Greenlee, Science Teacher

The Environmental Club continues to recycle the
white paper on campus. Thanks to all of you who carefully
sort your papers before you put them into the bins. Our
first Gayton Road Clean Up of 2003 was held on February
8. For those of you who missed it and want to participate,
we have two more scheduled for April 12 and May 10.
Each clean up starts at 11 :00 a.m. and lasts aboul two
hours. Participants must be 18 in order to pick up along
the road , and the club will provide gorgeous day-glow
vests and gloves.
In other science news, the greenhouse is currently
over-wintering a variety of ferns and plant specimens for
our botany labs. The biology class has just planted 100
corn seeds from a cross of two heterozygous parents.
The resulting offspring should exhibit the classic three-toone ratio of dominant to recessive phenotypes. This
demonstration parallels the famous pea plant crosses
done by Gregor Mendel. The environmental science class
is planning a sunnower project to increase availability of
food resources for our urban bird friends.
Anyone interested in volunteering for the Gayton
Road Clean Up, or any parent volunteers who would like
to work with students in the greenhouse, should contact
Mary Greenlee at Steward at (804) 740-3394 ext. 418 or by
email at greenlem@stewardschool org .

Page 9

Upper School News continued

AP English Students Get A
"Rare" Opportunity
by Sarah Martin '03
On Wednesday, January 8, the AP English class
traveled to Charlottesville to visit the University of Virginia's
Special Collections Library. One of the most extensive in
the nation , the collection includes illuminated manuscripts
from the Middle Ages as well as original pages from
Gutenberg 's Mazarin Bible (c. 1455), the first book ever
produced with the printing press. Students also viewed
original printer's copies of the Declaration of Independence
(approximately twenty-five are known to exist) , as well as
original manuscripts-complete with scratch-outs and
changes- by such prominent American writers as William
Faulkner, Mark Twain , Emily Dickinson , Walt Whitman , and
Stephen Crane. The students also learned about the steps
that libraries and museums must take in order to preserve
one-of-a-kind literary and historical documents, including an
MlJf :: Ebemafat OJ and BliJ.,e FraS(.c.. 03

elaborate underground , temperature-controlled vault
equipped with a halon gas system , which removes the
oxygen from the room in case of fire . Overall , it was a
unique opportunity to view the actual pages that form our
literary history.

Fine Arts at Steward
Thank Heavens!
By Bonn;e Anderson, Music Teacher
At the close of the final performance of the 2002
Lower School Holiday Program. Thank Heavens! , those
two words came to mind not only as the program's tille but
also as my perception of this year's production. Thank
heavens we finally have a beautiful facility to showcase all
of the hard work our students put into the program. Thank
heavens we now have a technical director to oversee all of
the technical aspects of the performances. Thank
heavens we have a stage large enough to hold our evergrowing student population and allow us to preserve the
"all Lower School production" that has become a favorite
tradition of our students.
Over 200 little angels sang and danced to the
holiday repertoire . The cast was comprised of a second
grader and fifteen fifth graders. The angels in heaven were
led by SI. Peter (Patrick Strecker '10) and the head angel
in charge of December celebrations , Gabnel , played by
Taylor Wilson '10. Heaven's musical director, Gladys
(Whitley Menges '10), held auditions for the All Star
Chorus and inducted three new members, played by fifth
graders Taylor Scott, Thomas Davis , and Elizabeth
Tyson . There were other heavenly hosts who helped the
newest member of the group, Noel, played by second
grader Kendall Huennekens, find her place in the ethereal
chorus. These guides included Marlissa (Taylor Booth
F.tttt grader Ellabern Tyson plays a nelll.
membf,1r 01 me heavenl.,. chorus
Photo by John Alley

'10), Marty (Hayden Hodges ' 10), Danielle (Samantha
Spangler '10), Mattie (Shelby Thompson '10), Celeste
(Izzy Pearsall '10), Mickie (Samantha Bisger '10), Angela
(Bren Wilberger '10), Pedro (Brendan Auman '10), and
Aria (Mary Taylor Tepper '10).
The story revolved around heaven 's newest
member, Noel , and her monotone singing voice . In order
to be included in the heavenly chOir, Noel needed to be
able to sing. All of the angels were there to help her find
her "voice: There were cherubim, played by the
kindergartners; snow angels, played by the first grade;
rock 'n roll angels, played by the third grade and led by
Elvis (Harrison Jones '12), Jewish angels, played by the
fourth grade; and Spanish angels from the fifth grade. It
wasn't until the Junior Angel ChOir. played by the second
graders, discovered that Noel's one note fit into all of the
heavenly chords that she became a popular member of
the choir. SI. Peter awarded the little angel with her golden
wings, and in her excitement she new high in the air while
the entire heavenly group performed "Sing Merrily, Sing!"
Thank heavens I had such a wonderful group of
students to direct this year! The rehearsals were
wonderful , and the cooperation from the Lower School
student body was amazing! Of course. the angelic Lower
School teachers were responsible for guiding the classes
and making Thank Haavens! a memorable experience for
all.

New Elements Flavor Annual
Thanksgiving Assembly
By John McAlister, Instrumental Music Teacher
The annual Steward School Thanksgiving program
presented a variety of music and Thanksgiving speakers
from each division of the School in the setting of the new
Cramer Center Theatre .
The Lower School presentation had much variety.
The kindergarten , first, and second grades performed
their songs with a little help from "Timothy Turkey" played
by Sophie Lange '15 and "L.L. Kool K" played by Upper
School student Katie Perkins '05. The third and fourth
grade students presented the traditional Shaker tune ,
"Simple Gifts: The speakers were Student CounCil
officers Elizabeth Tyson '10, Stuart Good '11 , Taylor
Wilson '10. and Ryan McKeown '10.
The Middle School presentation included songs
about the joy of Singing from the Middle School Chorus.
Page 11

the musical Lovin ' Kmdness by Michael and Jill Gallina. The
musical focused on the ways we can show love and
kindness on a daily basis through the use of various
musical styles, from '50s hop to modern rock. The
production also featured rap sections that tied the entire

'08.

presentation together. Katherine Goodpasture's and
Estelle Grossman's classes sang and danced Iheir way
into the hearts of the audience with this upbeat
production .

The Upper School presented Baroque selections
from Handel and Bach performed by the Select and Mixed
Chorus. The Upper School Instrumental Trio presented
the traditional canon , "Dona Nobis Pacem: The speakers
were juniors Teresa Ka iser and Spencer Best. The
benediction for the event was a violin concerto by Friedrich
Seitz performed stunningly by violinist Teresa Kaiser.

Lower Schoolers Put on Plays

A big thanks to all the people who helped make
these two presentations possible , including Andy Mudd,
who designed the set and lights for both productions;
Criss McBride and Gale Montague, who handled the
costumes ; Bonnie Anderson , who provided the music for
Three Environmental Skits; and John McAlister, who
served as music director for Lovin ' Kindness .

By Craig Smith, Perfarmance Theatre Teacher

In November, the third graders presented Three
Environmental Skits by Judy Jehn . Nancy Loyd 's class
presented the skit "Help!", in which Mother Nature and
some girls and boys questioned "Globey- the Earth , about
the problems of endangered species , pollution, and
deforestation. In "Be TREEmendous : presented by
Melanie Casper's class , a group of students and animals
tried to convince a pair not to chop down a tree by
explaining all of the good things trees give us. Jane
Whitely's class presented "Alice in Woodland : an
adaptation of Lewis Caroll's tale that focused on the
environment and the importance of forests.
After a slight snow delay, the fourth grade presented

When the school year began, the Fine Arts
department had only penciled in the date for a December
concert in hopes that it would become a reality. By
December, Choir Director Bonnie Anderson and Band
Director John McAlister had assembled eleven different
ensembles to perform a variety of selections in a variety of
styles.
The Eighth Grade Instrumental Ensemble began
the event with some traditional Christmas melodies
performed by these beginning and experienced
instrumentalists. The Eighth Grade Chorus performance
followed with several upbeat Hanukah and Christmas
selections. Highlights of their performance included
soloist Matt Deacon '07 on "Those Gospel Angels" and
choreography designed by the students.
The Recorder Ensemble performed music specially
arranged for recorder with synthesizer accompaniment by
Mr. McAlister. Their songs included "The Lion Sleeps
Tonight" and Avril Lavigne's "Complicated:
The Upper School Class Ensemble was next to
perform. This group, made up of two guitars and a
clarinet, delighted the audience with their renditions of
"Shenandoah" and "Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Upper
School instrumenta lists were also represented well by the
Upper School Trio of a nute, a violin , and a clarinet and the
Upper School Rock Ensemble that showed the audience
how a jam session really works with riffs from The Doors

Blue & Gold Winter 2002-03

nne Arts at Steward continued

and Sam and Dave. Instrumental soloists during the
evening included violinist Teresa Kaiser '04 and electric
guitarist Jesse Garrison '04 .
The Upper School Choirs included the Select
Chorus performing holiday selections and the Select and
Mixed Chorus doing a mixture of holiday tunes and
Baroque classics .
Some highlights of the event included the many
performing groups that had large numbers of participants.
The inaugural performance of the Middle School
Instrumental Ensemble was a treat with 23 students
performing their two selections extremely well . The
combined Middle School and Upper School Choirs filled
the theater with the gospel sounds of "Soon and Very
Soon: The concert concluded with all participants of the
concert either singing or playing holiday favorites in a
sing-along with the audience.
The Middle and Upper School students have begun
a new tradition with such a successful Holiday Concert
and have set a high standard for future Steward School
musicians .

Flowers for Algernon is a Hit!
By Will Metcalf '04

Anyone who didn't see the Steward School
performance of Flowers for Algernon on the brand-new
main stage probably heard about it. As far as productions
go, it was a wonderful success. A ton of work went into
th is production , and for two-and-a-half months the actors
and crew labored for hours in the theatre to bring this
complex story to life. Director Craig Smith and Technical
Director Andy Mudd each did an enormous amount of
work in order to make Flowers a success. After spending
countless hours with each other, we all became a sort of
family, especially since we had worked together on the
production since the beginning of the school year.
The story of Flowers for Algernon IS the tragic tale of
a man named Charlie Gordon , whom I portrayed. Charlie
is 28 years old and has the mental capacity of a seven
year old. He is ' operationed on" in an experimental
attempt to raise his intelligence to an astonishing level.
The people who get caught up in the resulting roller
coaster of events include the doctors who changed him,
Jill Nemur (Christina Nelson '04 ), Jay Strauss (Tucker
Bloom '07), and Burt Seldon (Ryan Childress '05): the

family he has never had , played by Mary Congdon '03,
Ryan Childress, Kathy Northrop '08, and Kendall
Huennekens '13: and the woman who loved him, Alice
Kinnian (Lindsey Leach '04). They are all on board for the
whirlwind journey Charlie takes through his advancing
intellect and emotions, and down the spiral of his descent
into his previous state. It is moving, sad , brilliant, and yet
still hopeful.
There are a few interesting theatre traditions at
Steward, and I'm sure they will sound totally bizarre and
strange. The first is the Ritual of the Nickel. The nickel is
literally a coin , which all the actors and crew gather around
to touch . Then the director hides the nickel somewhere on
stage where the actors can see it. It symbolizes the unity
of the cast and crew, and when I saw it during one
performance, I paused- partially for dramatic effect, but
mainly to think about all the people I had gotten close to in
the past three months. Another fun tradition is that we eal
Lucky Charms cereal before every performance; the
meaning behind this one should be self-evident.
I would like to thank some people behind the
scenes , especially the parents who brought us food
during the final week of the rehearsal , and all the technical
people, including Joe Matthews '04 , Hilary Beck '04 , and
Stage Manager Sammy George '07. Thanks also to the
patrons of the play for making the first major production in
the Cramer Center such an incredible success. Please
be sure to join us for our spring musical , The King and I.

Page 13

The Spartan Spotlight
The Steward School is fortunate to have three wonderfulldndergarten
teachers, including Kate Strickland.
By Brenda Turner, English Teacher

Back in the "bad old good days' or the ' good old
bad days' of the early fifties when I was beginning my
journey through "formal education ," public kindergartens
did not exist in Richmond . My parents did what other
parents did-they scrounged around for a place to send
my siblings and me for some form of education before
they turned us over to the FIRST GRADE TEACHER. My
mother did the best she could at home with crayons and
coloring books , scissors and paper, picture books from
the library and Goldenbooks sold at the local grocery
store; and , when all else failed , she pulled out the fly
swatter. However, after my brother ripped off the rabbit
ears of our black and white television and our reception
was gone, Mom lost her best ally in the world , Captain
Kangaroo . Kathleen Martin's search for a diversion for at
least one of her children intensified. Suddenly, on a sunny
September day in 1956, I found myself at Humpty-Dumpty
College , located in a stately, old home on Skipwith Road .
Apparently, a group of brave-hearted women had realized
the need and heard the cries of mothers with children
who required more socialization skills and some sort of
educational preparation beyond what could be provided at
home; and they started a "kindergarten : I had no idea
what kindergarten was , but I knew I wouldn 't have to look
at my brother and sister for three hours, three days per
week; so I was excited about the prospects. While I am
sure I enjoyed my one-year stay at Humpty-Dumpty
College , even graduating with a BS degree (Bachelor of
Shenanigans), I don't recall any1hing special about the
experience. Unfortunately, I don 't think I was alone. But
my, oh my, have times changed . According to one of my
pint-sized sources in the Lower School, "Kindergarten is
one of the 'bestes!' things about Steward School on
account of all the cool stuff you learn and do. And my
teacher Mrs. Strickland was reall y nice. I liked her as
much as I like my dog:
Kate Strickland has been a kindergarten teacher at
Steward for eight years , and she is one of the most
modest teachers I know. She would rather talk about her
work than about herself, but the inquiring minds of our
Blue & Gold readers need to know this information. Born
and raised in Beirut, Lebanon , Kate is one of six children .
Her father was a Lebanese general surgeon who started
his own hospital to provide medical care for indigent
patients. Kate's parents met and married when Kate's
Page 14

mother. a missionary nurse, came to work for the hospital.
She ultimately started her own nursing school to provide
the necessary instruction for skilled nursing care for their
community. Kate recalls that her parents' patients, who
often did not have money, would barter for medical care. "I
remember some of my dad 's clients paying him with
houseplants, cheese , or produce from their gardens."
Though times were lean for their family, Kate remembers
the thrill of living in an international city that she calls ' the
Switzerland of the Middle East. I remember my father
taking us to art galleries, operas, theatrical performances,
and any other cultural event he could find : She goes on
to add , "Where else in the world could a child go skiing in
the morning and swimming in the afternoon ?" Of course
living in Beirut. Kate was exposed to and began speaking
fluently in several languages, including French, Arabic,
Armenian , and English. When she was in kindergarten ,
Kate came home from school one day, crying to her
mother that she could not understand what the teacher
was saying , nor cou ld she recognize any of the letters she
was writing on the blackboard. The instruction was all in
Arabic. She had to learn a new language and a new
alphabet, a daunting task for a small child who spoke
English and Armenian at home. With the loving support of
her parents and because she had no other choice , Kate
decided to return to kindergarten and get with the
program. After graduating from a small private school ,
Kate attended the American University of Beirut and then

The Smc41and Famtlv Allison
~ate. Am~ and Le\

Blue & Gold Winter 2002-03

The Spartan Spotlight continued
transferred at nineteen to Peabody College for Teachers in
Nashville, Tennessee, where she received a degree In
Early Childhood Education, Kate laughs, "I had to find
foster parents to take me in over any holidays we had
because my family was in Lebanon ." She chose
education after her mother remarked to her that she
thought Kate would make a great teacher because , of her
six children , Kate was the shy one who was able to
engage children and because Kate was always interested
in learning, "To tell you truth ," says Kate , "I wasn't sure
what I wanted to do, but being a teacher didn 't seem
appealing even though I liked working with children ." In
spite of her reservations , Kate joined the ranks of the few,
the proud, and the chosen , and returned to Beirut to teach
kindergarten in an Arabic/English school. Then the Civil
War broke out.
I would like to set the stage for the implications of
teaching small children in, for all intents and purposes, a
war zone . Helping kindergartners adjust to life beyond
mom 's apron strings is hard enough. Imagine trying to
teach children anything while bombs are whizzing through
the air, and teachers are scurrying for cover for their
students and themselves or trying to load buses so that
they can transport their wards to safety as quickly as
possible. Imagine trying to sustain some sort of continuity
in lessons when the government has imposed strictly
enforced curfews that mandate all civilians vacate the
streets, bringing an entire city to a standstill, and no
assurances when schools will reopen are forthcoming.
More Importantly, try to fathom fostering tolerance and
respect for divergent political opinions and religious
beliefs in a breeding ground ripe with fear and prejudice to
mere babies who have lost their parents, relatives , or
Aare and her c ass before
Steward's annual Holiday

Prograrr: m December

friends for reasons they cannot understand. For Kate
Strickland, the challenge of a lifetime barged through her
classroom door and sat right in the front row, demanding
attention. Kate Strickland , the shy child in a family of six,
went about dOing what she was trained to do---maintaining the routine as best she could , teaching the
three R's, and trying to console and encourage her
children if only for a little while . As tensions in Beirut
increased, Kate's family decided , for her own safety, she
should return to the States.
When Kate returned to America , she decided to work
towards a master's degree in career counseling at
Virginia Commonwealth University while she held down a
full-time job working for the Commonwealth of Virginia . At

Helpi ng ki ndergartners adj ust to life
beyond mom's apron strings is hard
enough. Imagine trying to teach
children anything while bombs are
whizzing through the air.
that time in her life, Kate was eager to help students find
the right career path. Given her recent experiences in
Lebanon , where being trained and suited for her job made
a critical difference, Kate was keenly aware of the
importance of selecting a career that fit the needs of her
clients . In the midst of these endeavors, Kate met Lex
Strickland, her future husband , at a church conference:
one year to the day after their first date, they married.
As the years progressed , Kate and Lex became the
parents of two girls, Allison and Amy. A stay-at-homemom, Kate spent time caring for her young family and
performing volunteer work for her church . When the time
came for Allison to enroll in kindergarten , Kate visited
seven schools before deciding on The Steward School.
Kate comments, "I was looking for a small school that
provided a nurturing environment and a solid education.
After talking to Jane Edwards, the kindergarten teacher, I
was sold . Allison 's experience was so positive that we
decided to send Amy to Steward as well ." With both of her
girls in school , Kate decided to try substitute teaching at
Steward (she was driving to the campus on a daily basis
anyway); and when she learned of a vacancy in the
teaching staff in Lower School, Kate decided to apply and
was hired to teach kindergarten by Ed Rossmore, the
division head at the time.
As a kindergarten teacher at Steward , Kate has

Page 15

The Spartan Spotlight continued

made many commendable contributions, but none is so
popular as her classroom trips to foreign countries, where
children tour the world without leaving Dixon Hall, Our

customs of their host. During their excursion, students
keep journals, produce artifacts representative of the
culture, and sample the cuisine. Then they are off to

kindergarten students have visited China, Russia , Greece,
Africa , and Australia , for example. The fact that Kate has a
love of geography and international studies as well as a
fervent belief that children in the twenty-first century will
need to understand cultures within their own country and
abroad, has compelled her to create a curriculum that
exposes students to a world beyond Richmond , Virginia .
With the help of her colleagues, Betsy Saunders and
Christine Vermillion , and parents who are willing to share

another country, and the whole progress begins again.
want to sign up for this class.
Not only is Kate a master at involving her students in
group activities , she also has a talent for accommodating
the needs of the individual. Debbie Hanger, head of the
Lower School remarks, "Kate makes the effort to design

Aate and daughrer Allison. who
wd' graduate 'rom Steward (hiS
spflng

their travel experiences, our kindergarten students have
logged more miles on their classroom plane than the
most frequent of fliers. In preparation for their trips ,
students pack their bags with clothing appropriate for the
climate where they are going , secure tickets and
passports, and learn about currency exchange so that they
can buy gifts for their families. Once they arrive at the
"airport," they have lessons about airline security and
board their plane, sitting in the seat designated on their
tickets . While "in flight," they might hear from the "pilot"
about points of interest they are flying over or interesting
facts about the country to which they are journeYing. Once
they land, students pass through customs and have their
passports stamped. The real fun begins as they tour the
country, visiting all of the important landmarks and
historical sites and studying about the culture and
Page 16

lessons that target the special needs of her students. For
example, in math she has created task cards that span
the spectrum of the math skills of her students, and she
does it in such a discreet way that children who may be
struggling with a concept do not feel they are less capable
than other children who may need to be challenged . She
applies the same tactics to reading groups," Mrs. Hanger
continues , "Parents appreciate Kate's quiet manner and
her willingness to help their children become successful
learners: Cates by Jones, dean of the Middle School and
parent of Eliza Jones '13, who was once of Kate
Strickland 's kindergarten students, concurs : "Because of
Kate Strickland , who instilled the love of reading into her
students, our daughter has a passion for books that I
know will continue for the rest of her life:
Another special treat that Kate offers to
kindergartners is that she opens her classroom to Upper
School students (including both of her daughters) who
volunteer their time to help in the morning before school
starts and who provide positive role models for the
younger children who see that the big kids like school as
much as they do . Furthermore, at an early age, Kate's
students start to learn about the importance of school
community through their interaction with older students,
and the Upper School students take a break from their
teenage angst and learn how to be kids again.
As the adage goes, the journey of a thousand miles
begins with the first step. Such is true for the journey all
children take upon the "long and winding highway" to
graduation. Getting off to the right start is essential for
success , and that's why skilled and dedicated
kindergarten teachers like Kate Strickland are crucial. But
don 't take my word for it, go by and see for yourself. You'll
find a classroom teeming with activity, thematic bulletin
boards that change on a regular basis, enticing and
colorful learning centers, and eager faces. If you're lucky,
you just might be able to hop on the classroom plane and
take a little vacation . Yes, indeed, kindergarten and
kindergarten teachers have come a long way since my
days at Humpty-Dumpty College.
Blue & Gold Wint er 2002-03

~

FacuLty Notes

My trip to the Galapagos Islands was the opportunity of a lifetime for me, as
both a teacher and student of biology.
By J. Dewey Brown, Biology Teacher

Having been a student of biology and a teacher of
biology for more than 35 years of my life, I longed for an
opportunity to visit one of the most popular ecological
sites on earth. The Galapagos Islands inspired Charles
Darwin during the mid-part of the nineteenth century.
There he collected much of the data he used to write one
of the most popular and controversial books ever written ,
The Origin of the Species through Natural Selection .
Since his book pointed out in detail how organisms have
transcended the centuries in an orderly but complex
interplay with nature, Darwin's basic themes have
permeated and remain basic tenets upon which modern
day biology is built. I just had to visit the Galapagos
Islands once in my lifetime .
In November 2002 , my wife Patricia and I had an
opportunity to be within 600 miles of the Galapagos
Islands as we were attending a professional meeting in
Quito, Ecuador. We managed to find the time to spend
about four days traveling by ship to four of the major

islands in the archipelago. Of course , these islands are
very fragile and must be well protected. All members of
our group on the ship had our guides to protect us, as well
as the integrity of the islands. The terrain is very rugged
and all of the days were spent on the islandS observing
the habitat, the wildlife , and their behavior. Some of the
most unusual animals on earth have adapted themselves
to the varied and harsh conditions on these volcanic
islands .
I must admit that tears came to my eyes as I first set
foot on Baitra, the first island visited . A 35-year dream
was beginning to come true ... 1 would finally experience
some of the same sites that Darwin experienced over 100
years ago. Of course, I was armed with much more
knowledge about genetics, ecology, evolution, ethology.
and all the varied sciences than Darwin. All the biological
sciences were just beginning to bloom during his lifetime.
Darwin turned out to be one of biology's greatest
contributors .
All the islands are uninhabited by humans except
Baltra , where we landed , and Santa Cruz, the site of the
Charles Darwin Foundation. The islands have been
visited by sailors over the centuries , and they certainly left
their mark. Baltra has the only airstrip where scientists
and visitors can land. Once visitors pay the $100 entrance
fee , they are free to go and meet their guides.
Crewmembers and guides met and greeted us and
transported us from this open air terminal to our
respective boats and ships. Life on a ship is much like
any cruise ship-lodging is wonderful , and the more you
pay, the better it gets. The meals are gourmet, and
shopping and bars are available onboard. Once you get
into a transfer boat that takes you to an island , then you
are in the wilderness. You and your group will commune
with nature for the day.
Armed with plenty of water. hats, sunglasses.
snacks, suntan lotion , and lots of nlm in your camera , you
are off for one of the most wonderful ecological
adventures of a lifetime.
The nightly overview presented by our guide would
set the stage for what we would encounter on our morning
and aftemoon outings the following day. We would always
return to the ship for lunch at mid-day and have a chance
to rest. I sat in the lounge and viewed National
Geographic films showing animals. plants, and behavior

Page 17

Faculty Notes continued

that I had only read about and seen on film. and I would
say to myself. Get real! I probably will never see that! I was
wrong . Within two or three minutes of leaving the boat.
one would see almost everything seen and read about. It
was almost like the guides had called ahead to the
animals and said . "Get ready to perform. another group of
humans are on their way'"
I could never begin to describe the beauty of the
terrain . Dark volcanic rocks dot the very small paths we
must stay on. Remember. the animals have the right-ofway. Never pick up anything. never throw anything down .
and remember one will not have a restroom or a snack
bar while on the one-to-three-hour hike about this island.
The entire time is devoted to observing and
A marm~ QIJand ... arms Il5~d

on the rO("'5
PhotobyJ Der,.,ey Brown

1 must admit that tears came to
my eyes as 1 first set foot on
Baltra, the first island visited.
A 35-year dream was beginning
to come true ... 1 would finally
experience some of the same
sites that Darwin experienced
over 100 years ago.
communicating with the frigate birds as the males puff up
their necks and reveal a large red puff to attract a female .
Young blue-footed boobies are practicing using their
wings for flight. These birds come in a variety of forms:
blue-footed. masked, red-footed , but regardless of their
special adaptation they all are beautiful birds that exh ibit
skill in courtship. nest construction . protecting their eggs.
protecting their young . flying in formation . and precision
diving to catch fish for themselves and their young . And oh
yes . the wonderful and entertaining sea lions appear to be
the official greeters to all the islands. Everyone wants to
rush out of the boat and hug them .. . but remember. do not
touch the animals. We are there only to be observers of
nature. The young sea lions call to their parents and the
parents respond . The marine iguanas. the color of the
gray-black volcanic rock , are there warming in the sun on
the rocks after a stay in the cold water where Ihey
munched on algae with their blunt snouts. They will

Page 18

spend most of the day getting warm after their chilling
feeding experience In the water. One could hardly walk
across Ihe rocks without stepping on one or two Iguanas.
The colorful Sally lightfoot crab are interspersed
with sea lions, iguanas, and the myriad of birds walking.
flying . and diving. A look above us and we would spy a
hawk trying to find a young animal to catch unguarded and
to feast upon . The survival here is for the fittest. humans
included . Remember, we were not riding in a climateconlrolled tram , we are walking over stones and boulders.
up steep hills. down into ravines, and uphill again. We
are out of breath and tired but continue to be very excited
about our surround ing and the myriad of behaviors. Many.
including myself, found a walking stick very helpful to get
around .
The islands are varied in elevation and position
aboul the equator. Some are very tropical . others are very
hOI and dry, and others are windy and COld. There are a
blend of succulent plants like cacti along With small
shrubs and then there are deciduous trees intermixed
with all the others. Oh yes , look down and there is a very
colorful land iguana in the path just watching me as
curiously as I am watching him or her. I will just wait or
find a small pathway around or possibly go back In the
other direction. A quick turn around and a very dismal
pond has pink flamingos feeding. These birds pay us
little attention. They have never known humans to harm
them. Most of the animals here have no fear of humans.
The vegetation and terrain is different on each
island . as are the animals. Of course . there are always
Blue & Gold Winter 2002路03

Faculty Notes continued

boobies, sea lions, crab , and iguanas, but some islands
seem better suited to the albatross. They are birds that
nest on the ground. Both parents have to participate in
nesting and caring for the young . The albatross have to fly
further out in the Pacific to find their food , and sometimes
one parent is gone so long that the other parent has to
abandon the nest, eggs, and or young to go for food .
When this happens, predators like the hawk will move in
and feed on the eggs and young .
Finches are everywhere. They have adapted
themselves to live in all habitats on the islands. They, like
Jane Goodall's chimps in Africa , have adapted to the
conditions necessary to survive. The woodpecker finch
uses a small twig to pry insects out of holes they make in
cacti or trees . Some finches are ground dwellers and
feed on seed or cactus flowers . Others live higher in the
shrubs or trees feeding on fruits , seeds , or insects.
Of course, some of the most famous animals
associated with the Galapagos are the giant tortoises.
These were once very prevalent on each island , but over
the years sailors would take the turtles on their sailboats
for food , thus reducing their populations drastically.
Turtles were a good source of meat for the long sail back
to Europe, and the sailors would fill the bottom of their
sailboats with turtles in an upside down position and then
slaughter them when there was need for fresh meat. The
early sailors and visitors to the islands also brought goats
and dogs and released them on the islands. The goats
competed with the turtles for the same vegetation and
food supply, and Quickly the turtle population experienced

a downward trend . The wild dogs and goats have almost
been eradicated from the islands presently. Ecologicallyminded people are making sure they are never returned to
the islands. The major focus of the Darwin Foundation on
the Island of Santa Cruz, the one island inhabited by
people associated with the conservation efforts, is to
serve as a refuge for turtle eggs. Nurseries are
established, and eggs are taken from the various islands
and carefully marked and hatched, and the young are
cared for until they can be repatriated back to their native
islands. This process has greatly increased the giant
tortoise populations on all the islands.
One of my desires is to take a group of students to
study and work at the Darwin Foundation . Of course , there
is much more to share but possibly you could attend one
of my classes when I teach the evolution unit. Here you
might hear more about these fabulous islands that are
truly a global commons that we must all help to protect
from the ravages of irresponsible human intervention that
would easily spoil this fragile living network.

Athletic Update
The winter athletics season is off to a great start at Steward, with studentathletes excelling at basketball, soccer, cheering, and even indoor hockey.
By Janet Rice, Director of Athletics
Note: This update on winter athletics is as of January 20,
2003. A complete wrap-up of winter athletics will be
reported in the spring issue of Blue & Gold.

This winter we have eight basketball teams , one
soccer team, and two cheering squads. The varsity boys'
basketball team is doing extremely well and is the
highlight of the winter season so far. Under the direction
of Butch Keller, the Spartans' record currently stands at
14-1 . and they are undefeated in the Virginia
Commonwealth Conference (VCC). At this time , senior
guard Mike Edwards leads the conference in scoring with
a 2S.9-point-per-game average, and he is at the top of the
VCC in steals (averaging 7 per game) as well as assists
(6.6 per game). Junior Ben Brown leads the conference
in rebounds, averaging 13.1 per game. The team won the
E. Dale Travis Invitational held at Trinity in early December.
They defeated Colonial Heights High School and then
Trinity to claim the championship. During the holidays,
both the girls' and boys' varsity basketball teams traveled
to Charleston, South Carolina, for the 32-team Porter
Gaud Invitational Tournament. The four-day event was a
great experience for both teams. The boys clinched fifth
place. They won three games and only lost one. They
defeated Victory Christian Academy (the defending
champions) , Goose Creek High School (a SA Charleston
public school) , and Charlotte Country Day School. Their

only loss was to Irmo High School , a traditional
powerhouse from Columbia , South Carolina. As of
January 20, the team is ranked #1 in the Virginia
Independent School Division III category.
The varsity girls' team , coached by Justin Lee , also
captured the tournament trophy at the E. Dale Travis
Invitational held at Trinity. They defeated Trinity and then
Covenant School to clinch the title . There is one division
in the League of Independent School (US) for basketball
this season. Each school must play all other league
opponents. Junior Maggie Harman leads the team in
scoring with a 23-point-per-game average, and she grabs
an average of 10 rebounds per game as well.
Sophomore Morgan Hutchinson averages 3,3 assists per
game. At this time their record stands at 6-8.

VarSIf}f pla~e, Morgan
Hutchmson '05 lakes 8 shot

Ptloro b, John Alley

Page 20

The JV boys' team , coached by Wallace Inge, has a
4-7 record . They had seven losses in December, but are
4-0 in the month of January. They had a big win against
the Knights of Blessed Sacrament-Huguenot, the #1 team
in the VCC . There is a JV girls' basketball team for the
Blue & Gold Winter 2002-03

~ Athletic Update continued
first time this season. Ray Keohane is the coach . and
their record stands a 2-4.
In the Middle School . there are four basketball
teams. The boys' "A" team (coached by Steve Kautz) and
the boys' "B" team (coached by Mike Maruca) just started
their competition in January. The two Middle School girls'
teams began their action in early December. Coaches
Wray Powell and Don DeLaney have the "A" team off to a
5-1 start in Division II . while the "B" team IS participating in
Division III and is coached by Mike Ferry.
The girls' varsity soccer team is led by new coach
Frank Ph illips . Their record is 0-3-2. but thiS team
continues to improve steadily. and they are dedicated
athletes who brave the cold weather every day to
participate in their sport. In addition. there are two
cheering squads this winter. The varsity team is under the
direction of Lee Healey while the Middle School group is
directed by Jen Cofer.
New this winter IS our Spartan Indoor Hockey
League under the direction of Sandy Szilassy (1986
Steward graduate) and Donna Davis. a local official.
There are twelve teams participating . Including public and
private schools with a total of 120 girls involved . In the
inaugural season. It has been a success. Three girls from
the Steward team tried out for and made an elite team that
traveled to a national Indoor qualifying tournament held in
Virginia Beach. Teresa Kaiser '04 . Sarah Meigs '05. and
Katie Perkins '05 had a good experience at the
tournament even though their Spartan Elite Team did not
qualify for the national event.

Old YOU know thai over 80%of slUdems
In grades 6 through 12 panlclpale
in alhleUcs al Siewardil

Help suppon Steward AlbleUes:
Join the Spanan Club
The Steward School is dedicated to providing a quality
athletiC program to its students. Although the School's
operating budget provides coaches. athletic staff, team
uniforms. and sports equipment for this program , the
overwhelming participation by students and the rapid
expansion of teams have made it necessary to raise
funds for additional equipment.

What Is the Spa nan Clubil
Led by Ray Tate (parent of Morgan Hutchinson '05), the
Spartan Club is a group of committed parents. volunteers,
alumni , staff. and students who believe in The Steward
School's commitment to athletics. and the values and
skills athletics develops.

What Is this ,ear's goalil
The Spartan Club fund raising goal for 2002-2003 is
$50.000. This fiscal year ends on June 30. 2003.
Examples of the equipment needed over the next few

Stt:lwdrd 5 vdf'S t)f

/1oor

Phow by Paul BtJS58

'1g squad

years include buses for transportation. field hockey goals,
flag poles and flags . an outdoor concession stand. and
team warm-up outfits.

How can I helpil
You can participate with the Spartan Club by volunteering
to help at the concession stand and by donating toward
this year's fundraising goal. For further information, please
contact Mary Harvard Nolde '93 at 804.565.2319 or by
e-mail mhnolde@stewardschool.org.

Show your Spanan Spirit by
supponino your Spanan Club!
Page 21

ALumni Action
It has been a busy winter for Steward alumni all over the world!
By Mary Harvard Nolde '93, Annual Giving & Alumni Affairs

Class Notes
Class of 1988
Max Cohen is a phYSician with the Greensboro
Orthopaed ic Center, where he specializes in adult and
pediatric spine surgery. His interests include cervical ,
thoracic, and lumbar surgery.
Class of 1989
Katie Sei tz Powers and husband Ray are carrying on
the Powers family tradition at Bon Air Woodworks,
where they build high-quality furniture out of solid
woods .

Joanne

onsrantmakes'90 Carey HICkerson Cavanaugh 89.

Debbie GOldstone 90 and AShley ~'" /son Shepharason 89

Carey Hickerson Cavanaugh is living in Charlotte,
where she works for Minute Maid Orange Juice as an
office manager.
Ashley Wilson Shephardson and husband David had a
baby boy, William , in August 2002.

W,lham 5nepharason ~ ... as bOrn
(0 A.shley WI son Snepharoson
and husoand DaVId '" A.ugust

Class of 1990
Joanne Konstantinakos is a senior account executive for
Business Traveler magazine in New York City. She works
on the marketing and advertising side. She IS also in
graduate school working on a degree in international
marketing and magazine publishing .
Debbie Goldstone received her master's degree in social
work from Virginia Commonwealth University and is now
on the faculty at University of North Carolina as a clinician
for children's research.
Class of 1992
Emily Wilkerson Mears and husband Ken had a baby boy,
Ranson , on Dec. 31 , 2002. He weighed 7 pounds, 15
ounces.
Page 22

Class of 1995
David Moeser is currently attending classes at Fort Lewis
College in Durango, Colorado.
Class of 2000
Alexa Baker is studying in Paris at the International
Education of Students, which is located in the Latin
Quarter. She will also have the opportunity to study at the
Sorbonne, I'lnstitue Catholique, and I'Atelier Nicolas
Poussin. Alexa is living with a host family and is very
excited about the experience.
Class of 2001
Andrea Lehmann will graduate from college thiS spring
and is planning on going to a bilingual (French and
German) law school in the fall. She has also worked on
her "Cambridge Certificate of ProfiCiency in English" which
will allow her to teach English to adults. She IS hoping to
visit Richmond in October.
Laura Slabaugh appeared in eighteen field hockey
games at Denison University. She also scored a goal
that helped Denison capture a victory win over Oberlin.
Evan Weiner is a senior systems engineer for Venture
Networking Services, and he maintains a wireless
Internet over the City of Richmond

ALumni ACDon continued
because they will prove invaluable in college and beyond.

ALumni Return for CoLLege PaneL
Alumni Ashlee Healey '01 , Ted Benson '01 , Clay
Tharrington '02, Corbin Brierre '01 and Stephen Paulette
'99 retumed to campus in January to share their college
experiences with Steward 's eleventh and twelfth grade
students. Each alumnus had a unique perspective and
added something special to the presentation.
Ashlee Healey, who attends James Madison
University, shared her experiences in transferring from
one school to another. She also spoke on roommates ,
and she suggested that students not live with their best
friends because sometimes it may not work out.
Ted Benson attends the University of Virginia. Ted
urged students to get involved in a variety of activities
around campus to make the most of the college experience. He also suggested that students develop good
relationships with professors.
Clay Tharrington, in his first year at Virginia Military
Institute , spoke on the Importance of note taking . He said
that most of his classes were more lecture-oriented and
that learning proper note-taking skills is key to studying for
tests .
Corbin Brierre attends Randolph Macon Woman's
College and explained the importance of regular attendance to classes. She stated that even though it can be
very easy to skip a class , students get behind quickly.
Students' regular attendance also helps the professor to
recognize them , which could be helpful.
Stephen Paulette, who will graduate from the
College of William and Mary this spring , spoke to the
students about writing skills. College students are
constantly writing papers, and the Steward's English
department prepared him well for these challenges. He
urged students to take advantage of the opportunities to
improve their writing during their high school years,

Delane~

Tumage
Mescall 92 and

daughrsf Bentley gel
read~ ro bowl!
Phoro by Mary Harvard
Nolde

We are grateful to these wonderful alumni who
shared their time and experiences with our students.
Hopefully this will help our current juniors and seniors to
be successful during their own college years!

ALums Turn Out for SodaL
Oh , what a night! A social in mid-November brought
many alumni out to the Richbrau Brewing Company in
Richmond . Quite a few of our young alums came back,
and they had a great time catching up and remembering
old times . Everyone played pool and shared stories, and
there were even some dance moves that were definitely
something to rememberl A big thanks to those who came
out and had a good time with us.

~"I/ara

98 sfJdre old rimes at the alumni social
Phoro

b~

Mdflt Harvard Nolde

ALumni Bowling 2003
The first Saturday in January was a great day for the
alumni to get together and bring their kids bowling. We
had a great mix of alumn i from early '80s to late '90s who
participated in this event. Susan Cramer Twining '84
enjoyed bowling with her children , while Faisal
Qureshi '92 managed to bowl and watch basketball on
television at the same time . Not only did the kids use the
bumpers, many of the adults did too! Jack Crosby, son of
Tom and Ann Nichols Crosby '88, impressed everyone
with his accurate bowling .
There were strikes, spares , and even some gutter
balls, but that didn't dampen the mood , and the laughing
and joking continued throughout the afternoon!
Page 23